Foxwoods offers Milford assurances on casino traffic, property values

Monday

Jul 22, 2013 at 10:34 PM

By Susan Spencer, TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

MILFORD — Representatives of Foxwoods Massachusetts, which hopes to develop a resort casino on Route 16 at Interstate 495, told selectmen Monday night the board's demands for information were extensive, but the grilling would produce a better project.

The developers attempted at the meeting to answer questions raised at public meetings on traffic, water and sewer impacts and to update the board on its application timeline.

At the same time, the board reiterated requests for more clarity on traffic, town services and property values, in particular.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," said Foxwoods CEO Scott Butera, about the rigorous questioning the project has received from the board.

"Relative to our competitors in this business, I do think that we've done a great deal more work," he said. "From our perspective, we feel very good about where we are."

In response to concerns raised by the grass-roots group Casino-Free Milford about property values being hurt near the proposed casino, Sean Reardon, Foxwoods' consultant from Tetra Tech, said the estimated 3,000 jobs at the casino would draw people to the area who would drive up demand for nearby housing.

Mr. Butera said his team would present data at an future meeting from nine communities showing property values near casinos, which he said would show they have not been hurt.

Robert Allen, Foxwoods' lawyer, said property sales this year near the proposed casino were above assessed value, which he said indicated the specter of the development hadn't harmed the neighborhood.

Mr. Butera also agreed with Selectman Brian Murray's suggestion that developers would include in a host community agreement some form of property value relief for East Milford residents who might be hurt..

Selectman Dino D. DeBartolomeis said: "The one I lose sleep over is the traffic. The trip generation, the signalization, I still can't get my arms around it. I think that's probably the most important determining factor."

Mr. Butera said, "A 24-hour facility is a different animal," attempting to explain how the additional vehicle trips generated by the casino would be less than what an office park or other use of the proposed resort site might be. He said casino traffic is spread out over the day and night.

Foxwoods has talked with state and federal highway officials to plan an expansion of Interstate 495 between current exits at Route 85 and 109 to funnel traffic to a roundabout at the casino and onto Route 16.

Despite developers' assurances that the casino would buy more than $50 million in goods and services from local businesses, many Milford business owners are opposed to the proposal.

Peter Scandone, a retired insurance executive from Milford, presented a petition signed by 27 business owners. The petitioners opposed the resort casino's additional traffic, the competition for qualified labor, and the potential to undermine local entities by providing competing, all-inclusive businesses in the casino.

"We need to support these business owners, who are in many instances are Milford residents," Mr. Scandone said. "They are not carpetbaggers."

Mr. Butera said those concerns were grounded in fear but that he expected the businesses would find they would thrive with a casino.

He also said that Foxwoods Massachusetts would be locally managed and senior managers in the company are usually required to live in the area.

Foxwoods will present its plans for dealing with social and economic impacts on the town at a public meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Milford High School auditorium.